The present invention relates to the installation of fasteners in assemblages and more particularly to advancing of fasteners in an installation apparatus.
A popular fastener installation apparatus is shown and described in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,407. The apparatus installs fasteners of the type disposed on a connecting bar, and which include a plurality of evenly spaced, coplanar stubs; a cross bar angularly disposed about the end of each stub; a filament extending from each cross bar; and, typically, a head portion attached to each filament.
A feed wheel having circumferential teeth engages the fastener stubs and is rotated to advance the assemblage, thus positioning a fastener for ejection. This apparatus is designed to provide optimum performance in the installation of fasteners disposed along the connecting bar at one designated pitch. However, fasteners are provided in a variety of pitches, and may even vary in pitch among molds of the same design.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fastener installation apparatus which provides for relatively great latitude in pitch.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide assembalge advancing means which offer improved reliability and smoothness of operation.